Systems Analysis is, as the name states, the analysis of systems!

The systems that we are talking about are the systems within organisations and businesses systems of communication, financial systems, manufacturing systems, etc. - basically the systems that make the organisation or business work. A person who analyses systems is known as a Systems Analyst. Often systems analysts are employed by organisations of businesses to help them improve their systems and so become more efficient, and for businesses, more profitable. A systems analyst would generally perform the following steps in the order shown... 1. Research/System Study Collecting information about the present system works. 2. Analysis Examining out how the present system works and identifying problems with it 3. Feasibility Study A study that would tell whether it is okay to go with the designing of the sytem 4. Design Coming up with a new system that will fix the present systems problems Creating the new system from the design. 5. Testing Checking if the newly created system works as expected 6. Documentation Creating documents that describe how to use the new systems, and how it works 7. Implementation Replacing the present system with the new system 8. Evaluation Checking that the new system meets all expectations

Analysing the Present System

Having collected as much information about the present system as possible, the systems analyst now looks though it all to understand how the system works, and to try and identify problems that need to be fixed...

Analysis
Identifying the Inputs, Outputs and Processes
Every system has inputs and outputs and the systems analyst needs to identify the data input to the present system, and the data output. This is because any new system that is designed will have to deal with similar inputs and outputs as the present system. For example, the payroll system in a business might have the following inputs and outputs... Identifying the inputs, outputs and processes helps the Systems Analyst really understand how a system works: What goes in? What happens inside? What comes out? Any new system that is created will need to take in the same input data (the number of hours worked by employees), and will have to produce the same three outputs. For similar reasons, the systems analyst also has to understand how the present system works (the processes who does what and when)... This is important because some parts of the present system may work very well, and it would be a waste of time and effort to replace them.

Researching the Present System

Before the systems analyst can make any recommendations about a new system, they first have to understand how the present system works. Gathering / Collecting Information As much information about the present system needs to be gathered as possible.

Observation
This involves the systems analyst walking around the organisation or business, watching how things work with his/her own eyes.

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Observation allows the systems analyst to gather first-hand, unbiasedinformation. The downside to observation is that often people won't work the way they normally do if they know they are being watched.

Interviews
The systems analyst can interview key people within the system to find out how it works. Interviews allow lots of very detailed information to be gathered, but they take a long time to do, so are not possible if large groups of people are involved.

Questionnaires
With large groups of people, a questionnaire is a quick and simple way to gather information. However the information gathered is limited by the questions set by the systems analyst (people could have a lot of useful information in their heads, but if the questionnaire doesnt ask the right questions, they will not be able to pass it on) Also many people do not take the time to fill in questionnaires seriously.

Collecting Documents
Most businesses and organisations use documents to record information, or to communicate information (forms get filled in and passed to other offices, etc.) The systems analyst needs to collect examples of the documents used to get an understanding of the type and quantity of data that flows through the business or organisation. Identifying Problems No system is perfect and it is the job of the systems analyst to try and identify where the problems in a system are. If these problems can be fixed, the system will work more smoothly, be more efficient and, in the case of a business, be more profitable.

New System Requirements Specification

Now the problems with present system are understood, the system analyst can begin to plan how the new system will fix those problems. The systems analyst specifies a list of requirements for the new system (requirements simply means targets or aims). This list is usually called the Requirements Specification. What Hardware and Software Will Be Required? The systems analysts will now need to decide what hardware and software will be required for the new system...

Hardware
How many computers? What type of network? How many servers? Any special input devices? (e.g. barcode readers) Any special output devices?

Software
Is ready-made, off-the-shelf software available? Is custom-written software required?

Off-the-shelf software is software that is created for use by a large range of customers - it tends to be quite general-purpose. Custom-written software is designed and written specifically for one customer.

Off-the-shelf software:
Cheaper

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More reliable (because most problems will have been found by one of the many users) Has lots of support and help available (because lots of other people are using it) Custom-written software: Very expensive Provides exactly what the customer needs (a perfect fit) Only has one user, so little help is available Designing a New System Using the list of requirements, the systems analyst now has to design the new system. In most cases the new system will be computer-based. The ease with which computers can communicate and process data means that are usually the best tool for the job.

Feasibility Study/ Report

A feasibility report is prepared after the detailed study of the system that is going to be developed. This report will identify the main issues that need to be discussed Can the company afford financially to get the system developed? Does the company have the manpower to do all this? Is the building environment right for the system to take place?

Design
Designing the System Inputs
To get data into a system is a two-part process: Data must first be captured (collected in a way that then makes it easy to input) Data must be input into the computer The systems analyst will select a data capture method and data input method that best suit the requirements of the new system. Sometimes the two steps of data capture and data input are performed at the same time. For example a barcode reader captures the data (the numeric code on the barcode) and inputs it to a computer in one go. Choosing the Best Data Capture and Data Input Methods for the System Collecting data into a form that is ready for input to a computer system can be done in many ways... Paper Forms Form can be a simple ones with spaces for numbers and text to be written in. The data form this form would then be typed into the computer Forms can also be machine-readable, such as OMR forms Barcode Reader Barcode readers capture the numeric code that the barcode represents. Typically used with POS systems and also stock-control systems Card Reader Many cards contain data stored on a magnetic strip or in a small bit of memory (smart cards) which can be captured with a card reader Used in systems such as EFTPOS Camera Capture still or moving images which can then be input to a computer for processing Designing On-Screen Forms for Data Input Much of the data that enters computer systems needs to typed in. A well-designed on-screen form can make this task easier and quicker. On-screen forms should... Have all of the necessary fields Have obvious places for user input (boxes, use of colour, etc.) Use appropriate controls (see right) for each field Have text box controls that are the right size for the data Have easy-to-understand instructions (if needed) Make good use of the screen area available

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This is an example of a well-designed on-screen form used to enter details of an employee As data is entered into the form, it needs to be checked for accuracy. Two techniques help us do this: validation and verification...

Data Validation Techniques

When data is input to a computer, it is a good idea for the computer to check that the data is sensible (no dates of birth in the future, etc.) Checks like this are called validation checks (is the data valid?) Different validation checks can be used on different fields, depending on the type of data being entered...

Presence Check
Is data actually present in a field, or has it been missed out? Is the data value within a set range? (E.g. an exam mark should be between 0% and 100%, a month should be between 1 and 12) Is an item of text too short or too long? Is the data the correct type? (E.g. the letter A should not be allowed in a numeric field) Is the data in the correct format? (E.g. a date of birth should be entered as dd/mm/yyyy) If one of the validation checks fails (because the data entered is invalid) the computer should show a nice, friendly error message such as... You have forgotten to enter a name

Range Check Length Check

Type Check Format Check

Data Verification Techniques

Data validation only checks whether the data entered is sensible - it does not mean that the data is the right data. For example, if you are entering a date of birth and you mis-type it Correct date of birth: 12/11/1982 Date of birth entered: 12/11/1928 . . . you would not see an error, since 12/11/1928 is a valid date of birth. To check that data is the correct value, we use a system called data verification.

There are two methods of data verification...

1. Proof Reading After the data has been entered a person compares the original data with the data in the computer (either on the screen or using a print-out). If mistakes are spotted they can be corrected by the person. Proof-reading is quick and simple, but doesnt catch every mistake. 2. Double-Entry The data is entered into the computer twice (preferably by two different people). The computer compares the two sets of data to see if they match. If not it generates an error and a person will need to correct the mistake. Double-entry takes more time and effort, but it catches almost every mistake.

Designing the System Processes/Database designing

Any system has to process the data it is given. The system designer has a number of things to consider... Designing Data and File Structures A data structure is an organised collection of data. Most commonly, this will be some sort of database in which data will be stored as it is being processed. When designing a database, the system designer needs to consider: The type of data being stored (numbers, text, dates, etc.) The size of the data (how long is a typical name, etc.) The field names to use

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How many records will need to be stored

The designer also need to consider which backing storage device and media will be suitable to store the data: How often will the data need to be accessed How quickly the data needs to be accessed How large will the data files be

Designing the System Outputs

There are usually two types of output from a system that need to be designed: On-screen reports (information displayed on the monitor) Printed reports (hard-copy to be mailed, filed, etc.) Designing On-Screen Reports Designing an on-screen report is similar to designing an on-screen form (see above). There are a number of things that the designer should consider. On-screen reports should... Show all of the necessary fields Have fields that are the right size for the data Have easy-to-understand instructions (if needed) Make good use of the screen area available Make good use of colours and fonts to make the data clear Reports can include: Text Images Bar charts Pie charts Animations Video Designing Printed Reports Designing a printed report is just like designing an on-screen report (see above), except that the report needs to fit a piece of printer paper, rather than the screen. The report might also include page numbers, a header / footer, etc This is an example of a well-designed printed report used to show details of an employee

Testing the New System Once the system has been created, it needs to be thoroughly tested. A test plan is usually written whilst the system is being developed. The test plan will contain details of every single thing that needs to be tested.

Testing
For example: Does the system open and close properly? Can data be entered? Can data be saved? Can reports be printed? When you do something wrong, does an error message appear? Is invalid data rejected? E.g. if you are not allowed to enter an amount above 1,000 on the system then a value of 1,001 should not be accepted (i.e. does the validation work?) Test plans are very detailed, and contain many tests. Each test is specified very precisely. A typical test would contain: Details of what is being tested The test data to use What is expected to happen when the test is performed Selecting Test Data When choosing what data to use to test a system, you need to think about why we are testing the system: to see if it works, and to check it doesn't break. To do this, we use three types of test data...

Normal Data Values

This is data that would normally be entered into the system.

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The system should accept it, process it, and we can then check the results that are output to make sure they are correct. E.g. In a system that was designed to accept and process test marks (percentages), then normal test values would include: 10 25 63 89

Extreme Data Values

Extreme value are still normal data. However, the values are chosen to be at the absolute limits of the normal range. Extreme values are used in testing to make sure that all normal values will be accepted and processed correctly. E.g. In a system that was designed to accept and process test marks (percentages), then extreme test values would be: 0 (lowest possible value) 100 (highest possible value)

Abnormal Data Values

This is data that should not normally be accepted by the system - the values are invalid. The system should reject any abnormal values. Abnormal values are used in testing to make sure that invalid data does not break the system. E.g. In a system that was designed to accept and process test marks (percentages), then abnormal test values would include: -1 101 200 -55 Documenting the New System There are two types of documentation that should be produced when creating a new system: User documentation and Technical documentation

Documentation
User Documentation
The user documentation is intended to help the users of the system. The users are usually non-technical people, who don't need to know how the system works. They just need to know how to use it. User documentation usually includes: List of minimum hardware and software required to use the system How to install the system How to start / stop the system How to use the features of the system Screenshots showing the system in typical use Example inputs and outputs Explanations of any error messages that might be shown A troubleshooting guide If you've ever purchased any computer software (e.g. a game), then you will have seen a user guide - it's the little booklet that comes in the CD case (that you didn't read!) If you buy a car, it comes with a user guide that explains how to start it, unlock the doors, fill it with fuel, etc. (nobody reads those either!)

Technical Documentation
The technical documentation is intended to help the maintainers of the system (the people who need to keep the system running smoothly, fix problems, etc.) The maintainers are usually technical people, who need to know exactly how the system works. Technical documentation usually includes: Details of the hardware and software required for the system Details of data structures (data types, field names, etc.) Details of expected inputs Details of validation checks Details of how data is processed Diagrams showing how data moves through the system Flowcharts describing how the system works

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If you buy a car, you wouldn't normally want the technical documentation for it. Your mechanic would be the person who would need the technical documents. If the car needed servicing, or fixing, the mechanic would look in the document to understood how the various systems in the car worked.

Implementing the New System

The implementation of the new system occurs when the old system is replaced by the new one. There are a new of ways of implementing a new system...

Implementation
Direct Changeover
The old system is stopped completely, and the new system is started. All of the data that used to be input into the old system, now goes into the new one. This is has its advantages... Takes the minimal time and effort The new system is up and running immediately But there are also disadvantages... If the new system fails, there is no back-up system, so data can be lost Sometimes a direct changeover is the only way to implement a new system. E.g. an aircraft's auto-pilot system can't have a new and old version running side-by-side, arguing about what to do!

Parallel Running
The new system is started, but the old system is kept running in parallel (side-by-side) for a while. All of the data that is input into the old system, is also input into the new one. Eventually, the old system will be stopped, but only when the new system has been proven to work. This is has its advantages... If anything goes wrong with the new system, the old system will act as a back-up. The outputs from the old and new systems can be compared to check that the new system is running correctly But there are also disadvantages... Entering data into two systems, and running two systems together, takes a lot of extra time and effort

Phased Implementation
The new system is introduced in phases, gradually replacing parts of the old system until eventually, the new system has taken over. This is has its advantages... Allows users to gradually get used to the new system Staff training can be done in stages But there are also disadvantages... If a part of the new system fails, there is no back-up system, so data can be lost Evaluating the New System Once the new system has bee implemented and is in full use, the system should be evaluated (this means that we take a long, critical look at it). The purpose of an evaluation is to assess the system to see if it does what it was supposed to do, that it is working well, and that everyone is happy with it.

Evaluation
What Does an Evaluation Look For? When the systems analyst evaluates the new system, the following questions will be asked: Is the system... ...efficient? Does it operate quickly, smoothly and with minimal waste? Is the system saving time, and resources? ...easy to use?

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Are all of the system's users able to use the system easily and effectively? Can new staff understand and use the system with minimal training? ...appropriate? Is the system suitable for the particular business / organisation? Does the system actually meet the needs of the business / organisation? But how can we find the answers to these questions? How is a System Evaluated? The systems analyst will use a number of techniques to evaluate the system... Check against the Requirements Specification If you remember, earlier on in the Systems Analysis, the old system was analysed, and a checklist of targets was drawn up for the new system. This list was called the Requirements Specification. The systems analyst will use this document to check the new system. Going through the requirements one-by-one the analyst will check if they have been met Check the Users' Responses It is essential to get feedback from the users of the system... Do they like it? Does it make their work easier? What, if anything, could be improved? The systems analyst can get this feedback in the same way they collected information about the original system... Questionnaires Interviews Observations What Happens Next? The outcome of the evaluation will be to identify any limitations or problems with the new system. The system analyst will then need to begin the task of system analysis from the beginning, but this time analysing the new system, and then designing, testing and implementing improvements.

Future Developments
Thus the whole process repeats... The fact that the process of Systems Analysis is often repeated over and over (constantly building upon and improving systems) means that it is often referred to as a cyclic (repeating) process. The stages of Systems analysis are often shown in a circle

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